Thoughts on femininity…

What does it mean to be feminine? What is godly femininity?

Does it meant that I wear dresses and always have my hair done? Does being a woman worthy of the attribute “feminine” mean I am a good cook and an immaculate housekeeper? Does it mean I smile and nod, and constantly bat my lashes at every passerby?

Or, perhaps, does being feminine mean something far better? Maybe being feminine means I am kind. Perhaps femininity is defined by a gentle spirit that seeks to encourage rather than a girlish appearance that seeks the attention of the eye but not the attention of the heart. Maybe being feminine means being willing to get your hands dirty and your hair out of place for the sake of God’s kingdom – for the sake of serving others. Suppose these good qualities of cleanliness and good cooking and whatever else is seen as “typically feminine” are not in fact what makes a woman feminine, but rather flowed from something else.
Maybe, just maybe, feminine beauty is something that comes from the inside, something that is woven into a woman by the hand of God, that is an overflow of one’s love for Jesus, and can make even the plainest of faces extravagant.